Annual booster jabs, good or bad?

Vaccines are controversial for humans and animals. I try to do the least I can, for all of us! 3 year vaccines as available, I refuse the electives unless there is a concrete reason, and I don't give things out of fear when there is a minimal risk.

We do annual shots for everyone here, although since the beasties are all retired now, we don't worry about bortadella (kennel cough) as a rule any more. As others have already said, there are so many different strains of that out there it's not always an effective vaccine.

Our vets are awesome about the shots, and now that all 3 dogs are seniors (8, 10 1/2, and 11 1/2) they don't give them "everything" any more, other than Rabies which legally must be given at least every 2nd year.

As far as doing titers, well apparently the labs up here don't test for them, so everything has to be sent to the USA instead, costing approximately $200 (American) per test per dog..... and with the Canadian dollar valued so far below the American one right now, well that is just too expensive for us.

There is more than one kind of kennel cough so even though Jazzi was vaccinated it might not have covered the kind she had. I had Annie and Ben both vaccinated for that when Ben got it. The puppies had their first shot and they got it. Annie didn't. A friend of mine had a pup die from Parvo, too, and he was vaccinated. Maybe that was one of the other strains like I have heard of, too. Or maybe she thinks it was parvo and it was lepto, since that is what foxes around here carry. I asked my vet about it when there were foxes living out back (den under my patio) and got Venture the lepto shot then.

If your dogs are around a lot of dogs or random dogs in places like dog parks, kennels and day care then the vaccines are needed. I just don't think if your dogs (or cats) aren't around other dogs there is a need to vaccinate every year if the vaccines last for 5-7 years as research has shown they usually do.

With Lilo going to daycare and also socializing with random dogs at parks or on walks, I feel safer knowing she is protected. Soooo ....annual booster jabs - good.

We get the kennel cough (bordetella) as well. My Jazzi girl had kennel cough from where she was being boarded, even after having the vaccine and it was awful (we may not have gotten the shot early enough before her boarding). Listening to her and watching her as she coughed and choked was absolutely heart breaking and then the Bischon next door caught it. What a nightmare, the poor babies.

Edited by: B0BBIE at: 3/21/2016 (14:45)

Life is so unpredictable - doing my best to take each moment less seriously and making sure each moment counts. #gotthis

Parvo can carry in the wind. Your dog doesn't have to be near a dog to get it. My dogs always get their shots. Not sure what it is like in Australia, but Kennel Cough Disease has changed throughout the years here. It is getting harder and harder to treat. I always say "better to be safe then sorry" Do they have low cost vaccines in Australia? We usually go that day. It helps save money.

They have 3 year vaccines here for rabies, but when I got Cassie's information her rabies was only 2 years. An old friend told me they required it every year where she lived still and that is in the same county that Cassie came from. In some cases I don't think it is the requirement of the counties around here, or the state, but the veterinarians. Some just even go ahead and vaccinate without asking.

here the puppy rabies is a year..everything else is 3. you can give yearly if you really want, but the 3 works fine. its free...if you go to the clinics. but we have a lot of rabid animals around here.

By law cats and dogs have to have rabies shotes. Every three years in the city limits every year in the country. I live in the country 3 miles from one of the cities. I asked the vet what the difference in the vaccines was and she told me nothing. It is just that when they discovered the vaccine lasted 3 years the city changed the law but the county didn't. I live in the county, the vet knows it and the law says my dogs need rabies shots every year.

I think a lot of it is look at the condition of the dog and talk it over with whatever vet you use or with a few vets. Also depends on the area and what might be going around there. If you have a dog that is at risk, then definitely do the vaccine.

With my horse, she has allergies and reactions to things and I have found that I have to skip a year here and there. Then, too, with her I only give what is absolutely necessary. I can remember one year everyone at the barn I was at had vaccinated for Potomac Horse Fever. What the heck? There had never been a horse in this state with that. And my vet said that at the time the vaccine wasn't very effective and it was easier to treat them. Then when rabies came out for horses there were vets that said all horses HAD to be vaccinated for it. My vet said not to vaccinate for it unless it came to the general region where my horse was. When it did, she got the vaccine and she got it last year because there were skunks in the county (or the next county) that had it (like one or two). Just seems to me the same would hold true for dogs except certain ones are required (rabies).

I want to add..Lucy has a severe cardiac condition. If she gets something, she most likely wont make it through it. She got a UTI this past week..shes in heat (cant have anesthesia or she would be fixed, trust me) and the vet and i werent at all sure she was going to be ok...she spiked a temp, got weak, legs wouldnt hold her up, her heartrate was sky high. so i chance NOTHING. if i was someplace there were NO other dogs or animals, i might consider not getting them. but i live in the country..there are lots of animals around..wild and domesticated..and i have to do all i can to prevent.

I haven't given annually for years and dogs have been fine. That said, they aren't around other dogs but the neighbors and if there is something going around that they might get, they will get the vaccine. I have a friend who had her dogs fully vaccinated and it didn't help them at all when distemper went through her kennel. I still would vaccinate if going somewhere they would be exposed to something, though. They do say that research has shown that vaccines last more than 5 years (most 7). If you want, you can do titer checks to see where their immunity is.

Mutt and Duke get their shots. I live out in the country where most dogs don't know what a vet is and about 1/3 of the owners don't know or care there is a leash law. I worry about what these loose dogs are carrying.

I raised show newfs for years. I ALWAYS got their shots. Now i just have one, and she is a pet..and i STILL get them. There are many who will tell you you shouldnt, I'm not one. Its like kids..THEY NEED THE SHOTS. The ones who dont get vaccinated can get sick, and when they do its SERIOUS, and then they pass it on to others. Frankly, its like a rabies shot. If you dont get it, and your dog is bit, they will destroy it. I would rather have my dog with me than not. That said, the Lyme shot is controversial. I've had Lyme myself. almost died from it. If there was a vaccination for my family you can bet i would INSIST on it, and i'd take it myself. Lucy got hers, and the boosters, and will continue to.

I've been reading conflicting arguments concerning Annual booster jabs. I live in the UK where there is pressure from Veternarian staff to vaccinate pets yearly. Although this is costly when you love your pet you want the absolute best, but is this yearly jab really needed or does it hinder your own pet's immune system? Any thoughts.....?

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